TONE WORDS THAT SHOW UP THE

MOST IN THE READING SECTION

1. optimistic: hopeful that the best will happen in the future

2. pessimistic: expecting the worst possible outcome

3. neutral: having no personal preference

4. ambivalence: mixed feelings or emotions

5. frank: characterized by directness in manner or speech

6. indignant: angered at something unjust or wrong

7. empathetic: showing ready comprehension of others' states

8. appreciation: understanding of the nature or meaning of something

9. critical: of a serious examination and judgment of something

10. scornful: expressing extreme contempt

11. disdain: lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike

12. provocative: serving or tending to excite or stimulate

13. hostile: characterized by enmity or ill will

14. advocate: a person who pleads for a person, cause, or idea

15. amusement: a feeling of delight at being entertained

16. sympathetic: expressing compassion or friendly fellow feelings

17. affection: a positive feeling of liking

18. reverent: feeling or showing profound respect or veneration

19. mocking: expressing contempt or ridicule

20. resignation: the act of giving up, as a claim or office or possession

21. incredulous: not disposed or willing to believe; unbelieving

22. caustic: harsh or corrosive in tone

23. elegiac: resembling or characteristic of a lament for the dead

24. vehement: marked by extreme intensity of emotions or convictions

25.traditional: consisting of or derived from a practice of long standing

26. dubious: fraught with uncertainty or doubt

27. foreboding: a feeling of evil tocome

28. malicious: having the nature of threatening evil

29. callous: emotionally hardened

30. dismay: the feeling of despair in the face of obstacles

31. rejection: the state of being turned down

32. superior: of high quality or performance

33. patronizing: characteristic of those who treat others with arrogance

34. candor: the quality of being honest and straightforward

35.contradictory: not able to be true at the same time

36. averse: strongly opposed

37. disgust: strong feelings of dislike

38. genuine: not fake or counterfeit.

39. sincere: open and genuine; not deceitful

40.enthusiastic: having or showing great excitement and interest

41. puerile: displaying or suggesting a lack of maturity

42. idealistic: of high moral or intellectual value

43. conciliatory: making or willing to make concessions

44. jovial: full of or showing high-spirited merriment

45.witty: demonstrating striking cleverness and humor

46. derisive: expressing contempt or ridicule

47. morose: showing a brooding ill humor

48. bellicose: having or showing a ready disposition to fight

49. sardonic: disdainfully or ironically humorous

50.dire: fraught with extreme danger; nearly hopeless

51.negative: characterized by denial or opposition or resistance

52.positive: characterized by or displaying affirmation or acceptance

53. sanguine: confidently optimistic and cheerful

54. grave: causing fear or anxiety by threatening great harm

55.somber: grave or even gloomy in character

56. serious: of greatconsequence

57. placid: not easily irritated

58.severe: unsparing and uncompromising in discipline or judgment

59. imposing: befitting an important, distinguished, or powerful person

60.outspoken: given to expressing yourself freely or insistently

61. scandalous: giving offense to moral sensibilities

62. sinister: wicked, evil, or dishonorable

63. methodical: characterized by orderliness

64. momentous: of very great significance

65. heroic: having qualities appropriate for brave figures

66.audacious: disposed to venture or take risks

67.curious: eager to investigate and learn or learn more

68.bitter: proceeding from or exhibiting great hostility or animosity

69. insolent: marked by casual disrespect

70.dejected: affected or marked by low spirits

71.smug: marked by excessive complacency or self-satisfaction

72. cavalier: given to haughty disregard of others

73.irreverent: showing lack of due respect or veneration

74. flippant: showing an inappropriate lack of seriousness

75.vexed: troubled persistently especially with petty annoyances

76.intense: possessing a distinctive feature to a heightened degree

77. engaging: attracting or delighting

78. exuberant: joyously unrestrained

79. fleeting: lasting for a markedly brief time

80. jealous: suspicious or fearful of being displaced by a rival

81. petulant: easily irritated or annoyed

82.ambitious: having a strong desire for success or achievement

83. reckless: marked by defiant disregard for danger or consequences

84.undermine: weaken or impair, especially gradually

85.deference: courteous regard for people's feelings

86. disparagement: a communication that belittles somebody or

something

87. obstinate: marked by tenacious unwillingness to yield

88. opposition: being against something that you disapprove or disagree

with

89. quarrelsome: given to arguing

90. contentious: showing an inclination todisagree

91. rancorous: showing deep-seatedresentment

92.vituperative: marked by harshly abusive criticism

93.receptive: open to arguments, ideas, or change

94. reluctant: not eager

95. seductive: tending to entice into a desired action or state

96. pernicious: exceedingly harmful

97.ominous: threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments

98.anxiety: a vague unpleasant emotion in anticipation of a misfortune

99.obsequious: attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery

100.domination: power to defeat

101.eager: having or showing keen interest or intense desire

102.emphasize: stress or single out as important

103.persuasive: intended or having the power to induce action or belief

104.pervasive: spreading or spread throughout

105.intentional: done or made or performed with purpose and intent

106.motivated: given incentive for action

107.perceptive: having the ability to understand

108.reservation: an unstated doubt that prevents accepting something

109.unanticipated: not expected

110.unprecedented: novel; having no earlier occurrence

111.hollow: devoid of significance or point

112.superficial: of, affecting, or being on or near the surface

113.brash: offensively bold

114.brusque: rudely abrupt or blunt in speech or manner

115.tactful: having a sense of what is considerate in dealing with others

116.passive: lacking in energy or will

117.agitated: physically disturbed or set in motion

118.apprehensive: in fear or dread of possible evil or harm

119.timid: showing fear and lack of courage

120.candid: openly straightforward and direct without secretiveness

121.console: give moral or emotional strength to

122.irate: feeling or showing extreme anger

123.inflammatory: arousing to action or rebellion

124.inquisitive: given to questioning

125.elated: exultantly proud and joyful; in high spirits

126.insincere: lacking the quality of being open and truthful

127.artificial: contrived by art rather than nature

128.novel: original and of a kind not seen before

129.rigid: incapable of or resistant to bending

130.stability: the quality or attribute of being firm and steadfast

131.tentative: hesitant / lacking confidence; unsettled in mind or opinion

132.assertion: a declaration that is made emphatically

133.concern: an anxious feeling

134.despair: a state in which all hope is lost or absent

135.solidarity: a union of interests or purposes among group members

136.imprudent: not sensible, responsible, or wise

137.aggravated: made more severe or intense especially in law

138.astonishment: the feeling that accompanies something surprising

139.coarse: lacking refinement or cultivation or taste

140.creative: having the ability or power to invent or make something

141.ecstatic: feeling great rapture or delight

142.fanciful: indulging in or influenced by the imagination

143.hopeful: having or manifesting optimism

144.inspiring: stimulating or exalting to the spirit

145.judgmental: relating to an assessment of a person, situation, event

146.objective: undistorted by emotion or personal bias

147.urgency: an earnest and insistent necessity

148.condescending: characteristic of those who treat others arrogantly

149.crude: conspicuously and tastelessly indecent

150.lyrical: expressing deep emotion

151.profound: showing intellectual penetration or emotional depth

152.curt: brief and to the point

153.demure: shy or modest, often in a playful or provocative way

154.earnest: characterized by a firm, humorless belief in one's opinions

155.seemingly: from appearances alone

156.substantiate: establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts

157.surly: unfriendly and inclined toward anger or irritation

158.vibrant: vigorous and animated

159.admonish: scold or reprimand; take to task

160.befuddled: perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements

161.contemplative: deeply or seriously thoughtful

162.cynical: believing the worst of human nature and motives

163.forlorn: marked by or showing hopelessness

164.haughty: having or showing arrogant superiority

165.negligent: characterized by undue lack of attention or concern

166.pedantic: marked by a narrow focus on or display of learning

167.poignant: keenly distressing to the mind or feelings

168.solemn: dignified and somber in manner or character

169.skeptical: marked by or given to doubt

170.wistful: showing pensive sadness

171.complacent: contented to a fault with oneself or one's actions

172.acerbic: sour or bitter in taste

173.apathetic: showing little or no emotion or animation.

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174.bombastic: ostentatiously lofty in style

175.conducive: tending to bring about; being partly responsible for

176.despondent: without or almost without hope

177.didactic: instructive, especially excessively

178.disgruntled: in a state of sulky dissatisfaction

179.effusive: uttered with unrestrained enthusiasm

180.facetious: cleverly amusing in tone

181.gregarious: temperamentally seeking / enjoying company of others

182.laudatory: full of or giving praise

183.mercurial: liable to sudden unpredictable change

184.quizzical: perplexed

185.incisive: demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions

186.zealous: marked by active interest and enthusiasm

187.fervent: characterized by intense emotion

188.acrid: strong and sharp, as a taste or smell

189.choleric: characterized by anger

190.churlish: having a bad disposition; surly

191.diffident: showing modest reserve

192.fatuous: devoid of intelligence

193.histrionic: characteristic of acting or a stage performance

194.jejune: lacking interest or significance or impact

195.melancholic: characterized by or causing or expressing sadness